1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for attaching studs to other members and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for attaching steel studs to aluminum members.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fasteners called studs typically are used to attach various devices to other members such as the body, frame or sheet metal of a vehicle. Such devices may include but are not limited to harnesses, body hardware, and various chassis components. A typical vehicle has over one hundred such studs. Steel studs are preferred for their strength and typically are welded directly to the member to which the device is to be attached.
With the advent of the use of aluminum to manufacture products such as automobiles, it has become desirable to use steel studs to attach devices to aluminum members. Steel studs currently cannot be welded to aluminum members. Various methods have been used to attach steel studs to aluminum members, such as welding the steel stud to a steel plate, which then is riveted to the aluminum, a redundant and costly design. Another method that has been used is to hand install threaded steel inserts (riv-studs) into the aluminum member, with the stud then screwed into the insert, a very labor intensive process. Both methods are very costly and inefficient, and the need exists for a solution to the problems presented by these methods.